Bone Summary

Relatively high quantities of bone were found in T90 in 2017; we recovered 313 fragments from the trench.  This quantity is significant, as we only excavated small portions of the trench.  There are three discernible chronological phases in T90 and quantities of bone recovered correlate to these chronological phases.  The earliest chronological phase is that predating the construction of EPOC4 and consists of Loci 9 and 10.  The middle chronological phase is the functional floor surface of EPOC4, which corresponds to Locus 8.  The latest phase postdates the occupation of EPOC4 and is associated with the construction of a small, rectilinear building over the remains of the front porch of EPOC4; this latest phase corresponds to Loci 1-7.

Most bone found in T90 was recovered from loci associated with the latest occupational phase represented in the trench and is associated with the small, rectilinear building overlaying the floor of EPOC4.  Of the 313 bone fragments found in T90, 201, or 64%, were found in loci associated with the construction and destruction of the small rectilinear building.  Only 112 fragments were found from strata associated with or predating EPOC4.

Most of the bone found in T90 was unworked and showed no signs of butchering.  The exceptions are a ribbed shell bead found in Locus 4 (PC20170029) and three fragments of bone plaques that are polygonal in shape (PC20170030, PC20170044, PC20170045), one of which was found in Locus 9 and the other Locus 10.

Our zooarchaeologist, Sarah Kansa, will conduct a fuller analysis of the T90 bone finds in 2018.  To aid in her study, all diagnostic bones were made special finds in the field.  We recovered two bones that may be human, one a tooth (Find #26) and one a possible neonatal humerus (Find #171).  Additionally, we recovered fragments of horn or antler that has been cut and filed at one end (Find #210).